This book describes innovative agricultural methods using thermal and non-thermal microwave or plasma energies.
Humans that were nomadic in the past can now stably obtain food by developing agriculture. Cities were formed as a result of remarkable development. Later, chemicals were introduced to agriculture to stabilize the food supply further. Natural products were initially used, but various artificial compounds have been developed for agriculture since the 1900s. To further improve crop productivity and diversification, gene recombination (genetic engineering) using biotechnology has progressed in recent years and continues to develop further. However, these technologies contain pesticide residues and pose safety risks. The innovative new agriculture explained in this book is based on the use of microwaves and plasma that do not rely on chemicals and genetic modification.
This is one of the first books focusing on the agricultural usage of microwaves. In addition, it is a technical book that incorporates plasma into agriculture from this perspective. The book covers microwaves and plasmas, which are completely different fields. Thus, it will be attractive to many readers who want to acquaint themselves with these alternative technologies and implement them. This book will be useful to a broad audience including researchers and technicians at Universities and practitioners in industries. It is made accessible to readers across different fields by including abundant figures and by limiting the use of equations to the possible extent.
Author(s): Satoshi Horikoshi, Graham Brodie, Koichi Takaki, Nick Serpone
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 334
City: Singapore
Dedication (In Memoriam)
In Memoriam: Marye Anne Fox (1947-2021)
In Memoriam: Bob Schiffmann (1935-2021)
Preface
Contents
About the Editors
Part I: Tutorial
Chapter 1: Microwave Thermal and Nonthermal Processes
1.1 Microwave Thermal Processes
1.1.1 Microwave Heating Mechanism
1.1.2 Features of Microwave Heating
1.2 Microwave Nonthermal Processes
1.2.1 General Nonthermal Processes
1.3 Microwave Nonthermal Effects
1.3.1 Restrictions on the Use of Microwaves in the Environment
1.3.2 Active Use of Nonthermal Effects as Electromagnetic Wave Effects
1.3.3 Summary of Electromagnetic Wave Processes
References
Chapter 2: Plasma Thermal and Nonthermal Technologies
2.1 What Is Plasma?
2.2 Classification of Discharge Type and Plasma State
2.3 Inelastic Collision Process in Plasma
2.3.1 Ionization
2.3.2 Recombination
2.3.3 Excitation
2.4 Generation and Characteristics of Each Discharge Type
2.4.1 Corona Discharge
2.4.2 Dielectric Barrier Discharge
2.4.3 Glow Discharge
2.4.4 Atmospheric Pressure Glow (APG) Plasma
2.4.5 Arc Discharge
2.5 Summary
References
Chapter 3: High-Voltage and Pulsed Power Technologies
3.1 Introduction
3.2 High Electric Field Phenomena
3.2.1 Electrostatic Fields and Potentials
3.2.2 Electrical Discharges
3.2.3 Electron Multiplication: Avalanche Process
3.2.4 Transition to Self-Sustained Discharge: The Townsend Mechanism
3.2.5 Streamer Mechanism of Spark
3.3 Generation of High Voltage
3.3.1 Direct Voltages
3.3.2 Alternating Voltages
3.3.3 Impulse Voltages
3.4 Generation of Pulsed Power
3.4.1 Basic Circuit for Pulsed Power
3.4.2 Transmission Line
3.4.3 Pulse-Forming Network
3.4.4 Generator Using Power Semiconductor Device
3.4.5 Magnetic Pulse Compression
3.5 Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 4: Agricultural Engineering
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The Malthusian Catastrophe
4.3 Yield Gaps
4.4 Agricultural and Food Chain Waste
4.5 Adoption of Technology
4.6 Conclusion
References
Part II: Microwave Applications
Chapter 5: Improvement and Effective Growth of Plants´ Environmental Stress Tolerance on Exposure to Microwave Electromagnetic...
5.1 Brief Review of Research on Plants with Microwave Irradiation
5.2 The Obvious Question Is Then: Can Microwaves Affect Plant Growth?
5.3 Are Microwaves Used as Electromagnetic Energy?
5.4 What Then Is the Role of Microwaves?
5.5 Can Microwaves Improve Environmental Stress Tolerance?
5.5.1 General Situation of Plant Growth when Exposed to Environmental Stresses
5.5.2 Heat Stress
5.5.3 Stresses from Pests
5.6 Microwave Irradiation Methodology
5.7 Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 6: Food Processing
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Drying
6.2.1 Microwave-Assisted Hot Air Drying
6.2.2 Microwave-Assisted Vacuum Drying
6.2.3 Microwave-Assisted Freeze Drying
6.3 Thawing and Tempering
6.4 Microwave Sterilization and Pasteurization
6.4.1 High Temperature Short Time Process
6.4.2 Microwave Thermal Processing
6.4.2.1 Design of Microwave Heating Systems
6.4.2.2 Determining the Heating Pattern
6.4.2.3 Temperature Measurement
6.4.2.4 Microbial Validation
6.5 Other Processing
References
Chapter 7: Stimulating the Aging of Beef with Microwaves
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Device Capable of Precise Temperature Measurement and Microwave Irradiation
7.3 Microwave Electromagnetic Wave Effect(s) Enzyme Reaction in ``in vitro´´
7.4 Microwave Electromagnetic Wave Effect(s) Enzyme Reaction in ``in vivo´´
7.5 Microwave-Accelerated Meat Aging Device (Aging Booster)
7.6 Prospects for the Future
References
Chapter 8: Controlling Weeds with Microwave Energy
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Weed Impacts on Crop Production
8.3 Tillage
8.4 Thermal Weed Control
8.5 Microwave Weed Management
8.6 Soil Treating for Weed Seed Control
8.7 Effect of Soil Treatment on Crop Yield
8.8 Long-Term Efficacy
8.9 Treating Emerged Weeds
8.10 Novel Microwave Applicators for Weed Management
8.11 Conclusions
References
Chapter 9: Soil Modifications
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Microwave Energy Distribution in Soil
9.3 Impact of Microwave Soil Treatment on Soil Properties and Biota
9.4 Effect of Microwave Soil Heating on Nutrient Profile
9.5 Response of Soil Microorganisms to Microwave Heating
9.6 Conclusion
References
Chapter 10: Microwave Application for Animal Feed Processing to Improve Animal Performance
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Microwave Processing Techniques
10.2.1 Microwave Treatment Effect on Feed Cell Microstructure
10.3 Microwave Treatment and Feed Nutritive Value
10.3.1 Microwave Treatment Effect on Roughage Feed Nutritive Value
10.4 MW Treatment Effect on Concentrate Feed Nutritive Value
10.5 Microwave Treatment on Concentrate Feed´s Ruminal Degradation and Fermentation Characteristics
10.6 MW-Treatment Effect on Concentrate Intestinal Crude Protein Digestibility in Ruminant
10.7 Microwave Treatment Effect on Anti-Nutritional Factors Present in Feed
10.8 Microwave-Treated Concentrate Feed Effect on Ruminant Animal Performance
10.9 Microwave Drying
10.10 Microwave Soil Treatment Effect on Crop Growth and Yield
10.11 Prospect of MW Technology in Animal Production System
10.12 Conclusion
References
Chapter 11: Microwave Heating for Grain Treatment
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Microwave Heating Principles and Dielectric Properties
11.3 Microwave Drying for Safe Storage of Grains
11.4 Seed Germination Enhancement
11.5 Modification of Seed Quality for End Users
11.6 Disinfestation/Disinfection of Grains by Microwave Heating
11.6.1 Insect Control (Disinfestation)
11.6.2 Fungi and Bacteria Control (Disinfection)
11.7 Challenges of Microwave Processing
11.7.1 Quality Change
11.7.2 Heat Uniformity
11.8 Conclusion and Future Work
References
Part III: Plasma Applications
Chapter 12: Growth Enhancement Effect of Gene Expression of Plants Induced by Active Oxygen Species in Oxygen Plasma
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Experimental Methods
12.3 Active Oxygen Irradiation to Seeds
12.4 Gene Expression Modification of Seeds by Oxygen Plasma Irradiation
12.4.1 UV Irradiation to Seed
12.5 Gene Analysis of Second-Generation Seeds
12.6 About Epigenetics
12.7 Induction of Epigenetics by Plasma Irradiation
12.8 Summary
References
Chapter 13: Improvement of Plant Growth and Control of Cultivation Environment Using Electrical Stimuli
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Direct Stimulation of Plants Using Electricity and Air Ions
13.2.1 Past Research Up to 2000
13.2.2 Electric Field Stimulations
13.2.3 PEF Stimulation Effect on Photosynthesis
13.2.4 Electrical Stimulation of Plant Rhizomes
13.2.4.1 Culture in Aqueous Medium
13.2.4.2 Culture in Soil Medium
13.3 Indirect Stimulation through Improvement of Growth Environment: Plasma Stimulations
13.3.1 Role of Plasma
13.3.2 Effects of Plasma-Treated Solutions on Plant Growth-Hydroponics
13.3.3 Effect of Plasma Treatment on Plant Growth-Soil
13.4 Conclusion and Future Work
References
Chapter 14: Promotion of Reproductive Growth of Mushroom Using Electrical Stimuli
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Mushroom Cultivation and Stimuli for Fruiting Body Development
14.3 History of Electrical Stimuli for Mushroom Fruiting Body Development
14.4 Effect of High-Voltage Stimulation in Bed-Log Cultivation
14.5 Effect of High-Voltage Stimuli in Bed Sawdust Cultivation
14.6 Morphological Changes after Electrical Stimulation
14.7 Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 15: Keeping Freshness of Agricultural Products
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Decomposition of Ethylene
15.3 Removal and Inactivation of Bacteria
15.3.1 Removal of Airborne Bacteria
15.3.2 Inactivation of Bacteria
15.4 Conclusions
References
Chapter 16: Enzyme Activity Control and Protein Conformational Change
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Enzyme Activity Change by Plasma Irradiation
16.3 Enzymes Included in Plasma-Irradiated Biomaterial
16.4 Plasma-Irradiated Single Protein
16.5 Enzyme Activity Change by Electric Field Application
16.6 Protein Conformational Change
16.7 Plasma Irradiation-Induced Conformational Change
16.8 Electric Field-Induced Conformational Change
16.9 Key Factors Affect Enzyme Activity and Protein Conformation by Plasma
16.10 Key Factors Affect Enzyme Activity and Protein Conformation by Electric Field
16.11 Summary
References
Chapter 17: Plasma Applications in Microalgal Biotechnology
17.1 Introduction
17.1.1 The Microalgal World
17.1.2 Microalgae: Development in Unfavorable Environment
17.1.3 Microalgae and Biotechnology
17.2 Plasma: The Basic Side
17.3 Plasma Treatment and Microalgal Biotechnology
17.3.1 Preparation of Dedicated Nutrients for Microalgal Culture
17.3.2 Plasma-Modified Surface for Microalga Immobilization
17.3.2.1 Algal Immobilization
17.3.3 Plasma Treatment as a Mean to Improve Algal Productivity
17.3.4 Plasma and Downstream Processing
17.3.4.1 Algal Harvesting
17.3.4.2 Dry Matter Treatment
17.4 Water and Wastewater Treatment
17.5 Plasma and Intracellular Metal Analysis
17.6 Conclusions and Perspectives
References
